Be ready to pay up if your housing society has more than 300 flats and does comply with waste management rules. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has formed an independent committee to investigate the waste management systems in different societies, and slap environmental compensation on CGHS if found lacking.

The NGT has also asked housing societies with over 300 flats to set up their own waste-management systems.

A five-member team from different government departments, including Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Jal Board (DJB), will carry out the inspection.

Recently, the NGT slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on seven housing societies, including Neelkant Apartments and Bharat Apartments in Rohini, for not complying with waste-management rules. The amount is to be paid within three weeks’ time.

The fine came as a surprise for the residents of the housing societies.

Raman Kapoor, general secretary of Neelkanth Apartments, Rohini, said, “We were never told about any such rules. If these were mandatory rules, the MCD should have sent us a notice in this regard. The team had inspected our society around a month back. They inspected the society’s premises and left after 15 minutes. A few days later, we received a notice from the NGT, saying that we were to pay a fine of Rs 10,000. The managing committee has decided to file a counter application.”

This decision has stunned other societies as well. East Delhi alone has over 150 housing societies — 45 in Vasundhara Enclave, 22 in Mayur Vihar Phase I Extension, 16 in Mayur Vihar Phase I and around 90 in IP Extension.

When asked whether the societies have received any prior notice from the municipal corporation or the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, all denied.

JP Sharma, general secretary of Vasundhara Enclave CGHS Federation, said, “We were aware that the MCD would visit the housing societies to inform them about solid waste management — that awareness campaigns would be conducted. But the fact is MCD officials never visited us. Many apartments have set up solid waste plants on their own. Proper guidelines should be published in this regard — and then, if we do not comply, we are liable to pay the fine. What happened was arbitrarily done!”